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16 November 2008

Blessings of the Aaronic Priesthood, Part 1

The Priesthood is the power and authority of God given to man. Just think, our Heavenly Father is willing to give part of His power to young men, when they are only 12 years old. By this power, the earth was created. By this power, sick people are healed. By this power, the Church is directed.

I want to focus on the thing that will be most important for those who are preparing to receive the Aaronic Priesthood (as well as for those who have already received it) – what the Priesthood means for them. I’m going to focus both on what the Priesthood is as well as why it matters in one’s life. When a young man is ordained to the office of a Deacon and given the Aaronic Priesthood, he might ask himself, “OK, so now what?” I’m going to answer the “Now what?” part.

First, let me write a couple things about the Aaronic Priesthood. The Aaronic Priesthood is named after Aaron, the brother of Moses. This priesthood is often called a preparatory priesthood. “And the lesser priesthood…which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel; Which gospel is the gospel of repentence and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb” (D&C 84:26-27). It is the priesthood of outward ordinances. Because of the wickedness of the children of Israel in the wilderness, the Lord took Moses and the Mechizedek Priesthood away from them (see D&C 84:25) and left them with a lower priesthood. It was, for them, a priesthood that would help prepare them for the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood back into their midst. So, for Aaronic Priesthood holders, their time spent performing the ordinances of that priesthood help prepare them for the Melchezidek Priesthood. How does one prepare to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood? By keeping the commandments, participating in church, and serving others.